Inevitable Endings
by LiveAbundantly
Summary: Two-shot. Season 3 Finale based on information from 3x6. She knew that when the moment came everyone would volunteer to die. Eve stepping in front of Flynn, Ezekiel in front of Eve, Jake in front of Ezekiel. All arguing to be the sacrifice. It is just who they are. Librarians. Friends. Family.
1. Chapter 1

She heard them. They didn't know she was there, hiding behind the bookcase, but she heard. When she realized what had to happen, she knew that this was reason the Library chose her. It was Flynn and Eve speaking in hushed tones. The Eye of Ra, Apep, pure evil, sacrifice. Sacrifice. A life. Flynn was prepared to make that sacrifice for everyone. Eve did not want to hear it.

"There has to be another way" Eve argued. Flynn knew better though. Sometimes there are no loop holes. Sometimes we don't get our happy endings. Flynn stayed silent to her comment, just looking down at his clenched hands, not being able to look Eve in the face after what he just told her. Eve glanced at Jenkins, who stood silently in the room, for support. When push comes to shove, Jenkins always sides with Eve. They make it work. They do the impossible. This is no different, Eve thought.

But this time, Jenkins stayed quiet. There was no voice of support, no talking Flynn out of it, no offering of alternatives. Jenkins knows when prices have to be paid. When fate is inevitable. Being immortal has taught him that much. He has lived too much, seen too much, lost too much. It is why he secluded himself in the Annex. It was easier. Simpler. _Safer_. And then suddenly Flynn, Eve, Cassandra, Jacob, and Ezekiel came barging into his life. Ever since then, his life changed and he let himself care about people again. Care about mortals again. And now this. The moment he knew was inevitable for mortals. He just never thought Flynn would have to go so soon. But he knew there was nothing to do. Nothing to change.

Eve huffed and looked directly at Flynn, "You are not dying for us. I will not let that happen."

Cassandra turned down the hall of Annex, hearing all she had to. She knew everyone. She knew that when the moment came everyone would volunteer to die. Eve stepping in front of Flynn, Ezekiel in front of Eve, Jake in front of him. All arguing to be the sacrifice. All willing to die for their friends and everyone else arguing that they would never let that happen. They'd all die before they let another die for them. It is just who they are. Librarians. Friends. Family.

But Cassandra knew better. She saw the irony. Her life. The Library picking her. The purpose. _Her purpose_. She took the Eye of Ra from its shelf and threw it over her neck. The clippings book showed the latest activity of Apep right over a powerful convergence of ley lines. When everyone was asleep, she fired up the back door. Cassandra almost called out, she almost stopped, she almost closed the door, she almost stayed with her family, but those were all luxuries she couldn't afford. So with one last glance, she stepped through the door.


	2. Chapter 2

This was it. Apep was trapped in the vortex of the ley line convergence point. Cassandra stood in front of the vortex, watching Apep disappear into the void. Magic sparked around her. The ley lines becoming unstable as they dissipated. Turns out destroying Pure Evil has a price. With its destruction, all magic goes along with it. The ley lines will lose their charge and magic will return to its dormant stage, only to be wielded by the select few.

The magic and unstable ley lines created a kind of barrier behind Cassandra once Apep fell into the vortex. She couldn't turn back and all that was left in front of her was the vortex. The Eye of Ra and the sacrifice had to enter the vortex in order to seal it. To end this. To save everyone.

For Eve, Ezekiel, Flynn, Jenkins, and Jacob. Cassandra whispered that to herself as she stared at the vortex. And for myself, she added. She clutched the Eye of Ra around her neck, took a deep breath, and took a step forward.

"Cassandra!" She heard yelling behind her and for a split second, she swore she imagined it. The shouting got louder. Stop! Cassie! Wait! No! Ms. Cillian! Voices rose around her. Cassandra turned around and there they were. All of them. The fear and worry on their faces broke her heart. Jake and Ezekiel ran straight into the barrier, as if they could break it by shear will, but the magic just sent them flying onto their backs. Cassandra could see in Eve's eyes that she was scanning the situation, evaluating all options, strategizing, _hoping_. That's the Guardian for you, Cassandra thought lovingly.

Jenkins looked upset and Flynn was disheveled, pacing around the barrier. She wished she never turned around. She wished they never came. How much easier this would have all been.

"Cassandra, what are you doing?" Eve asked. Cassandra walked towards them, getting as close as the barrier would let her.

"We are getting you out of there!" Ezekiel said.

Flynn racked his hand through his hair, "That is supposed to be me! I'm the Librarian! I got the Eye of Ra, I knew the price!"

"What were you thinking, Cassie? We are a team. We can't—You can't-" Jake said. All of them spoke over each other and Cassandra smiled softly.

Quietly she spoke, "You've all forgotten."

"What? Forgot what?" Eve questioned.

"No, it's nice. I'm not used to people forgetting. For it not to be the first thing people think when they see me. I remember family friends always shaking my hand and saying how good I look or complimenting an academic achievement of mine, but I saw it in their eyes. Every time. Right before they spoke. The pity. The realization. I could never erase that look from my mind, but these past couple of years, I never saw that. And it has been one of the most beautiful things, I've ever experienced" she said.

"Cassandra, what are you-"

"I'm dying" Cassie answered. "I have been since I was fifteen years old and every day since then I have woken up knowing about the future of my life. With my tumor… this is the reason I was chosen to be a Librarian. Maybe somehow, it knew that it would come to this. To a sacrifice-"

"That's crazy!" Ezekiel argued.

Flynn looked at Cassandra, "That's not true. The Library chooses people based on their hearts, their future, their hope. It does not feed into a sadistic fate. It would never lead you to this!"

"If the Eye of Ra needs a sacrifice, I'll go" Jake said.

"No way, mate. I'll do it" Ezekiel argued.

"I already agreed to the price when I took the Eye. It's me!" Flynn said.

Cassandra knew this was going to happen. She knew no one was going to let anyone get hurt. "You all have so much life to live. You have so much ahead of you. So many wonderful, magical-" Cassie choked back tears and smiled. "I'll still be dying no matter what we do. And I want to thank you." Confused expressions appeared on everyone's faces. "I have been able to live my life in these past few years more than I ever thought possible. And there have been days were I have not thought about my tumor. Days where I forget about too. Those are the best days. But this is reality, and the truth is that no matter how much we deny it or ignore it, I will still be sick. I will still be dying. And if I have to go then I want this to be the way because—because I cannot imagine watching one of you— I wish you didn't come because I never wanted to hurt any of you." Tears streamed down her face. She saw tears well up in Eve and Ezekiel's eyes as well. Jake not showing any expression, but he might as well have been crying too.

Flynn in a demanding voice said, "Cassandra, give me the Eye of Ra." He held his hand out, as if she could just hand it to him through the barrier. Cassandra clutched the Eye around her neck.

She almost tried to hand it to him, almost changed her mind, almost listened to them, but some endings aren't happy. Some endings are just inevitable.

Cassandra turned and ran towards the vortex, blocking out the screams behind her, blocking out the sight in front of her. She felt nothing and with a blink Cassandra, the Eye of Ra, ley lines, and magic all disappeared into the vortex. The vortex closed with a loud, ground shaking clap and all that was left in sight were the broken faces of Jake, Ezekiel, Eve, Flynn, and Jenkins.

The Annex was quiet that night. Eerily quiet. No one spoke after Cassandra entered the vortex, as if their voices died along with her. Eve, Flynn, and Jenkins sat together silently, neither one of them wanting to acknowledge what just happened.

In the artifact room, Jake and Ezekiel moved feverishly. Grabbing books, maps, artifacts, each knowing what to do next without speaking to each other. Jake flipped through the books, quickly writing notes. When a book didn't contain any helpful information, he threw it on the ground with a resounding thud. Ezekiel scanned map after map, plotting points and connecting lines.

"There has to be something here" Jake whispered. Finally breaking the silence.

"All we know is that she got swallowed by the vortex created by the ley lines. That doesn't mean she's de-" Ezekiel stopped himself, not able to say the word. "I just don't see how we are going to get her back, mate." Jake slammed another book closed.

"Magic" Jake said, "Magic."

End. Short two-shot about season 3 finale.


End file.
